Electric switch



Dec. "18,1928, I

- R K. I WINNING amacmkr'd swircn Original Filed Dec 18 1922 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT K. WINNHIG, OF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO CLUM MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF MIPWAUKEE. WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Original application filed December 18, 1922, Serial No. 607,563. Divided and this application filed August 31, 1925.

This invention relates to electric switches, and has for one of its objects to provlde an electric circuit maker and breaker which is particularly adapted for use upon automobiles for cont-rolling a plurality of circuits.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide a switch especiallv adapted for controlling the ignition ant lighting circuits of a motor vehicle where the latter include headlights of the single bulb type whereby the said lights may be so controlled as to provide three different degrees of brilliance. F irst, bright for road driving. second, mediiun bright for city driving, and third, dim for parking purposes.

A still further object of the invention 1s to provide a switch of't-he class described comprising a minimum number of parts most of which may be readily and efiic'iently stamped or similarly formed from sheet metal. thereby producing a switch which will be simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and more efiicient in use than those which have been heretofore proposed.

'ith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

This application is a division of an application heretofore filed by me on or about the 18th day of December, 1922, Serial No.

In the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a switch made in accordance with the present invent-ion. t

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the switch shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic rear elevational view of the rear insulating block or disc which carries the fixed contact members.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of -the two movable contact members.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the present switch in connection fixed contact members,

Serial No. 53,507.

with the ignition and lighting circuits of an automobile. the parts being shown with all circuits broken.

In the said drawings the numeral 10 indicates the face plate of the switch, which may be formed of stamped sheet metal, substantially as indicated, and to which is secured in any suitable manner, the rearwardly extending casing or barrel 11 which houses the operating parts of the mechanism. The said face plate 10 is provided with acentrally located opening 12 to accommodate the hub 13 of the lever handle 14, which controls the movements of the contacts for making and breaking the lighting circuit of the vehicle. A suitable lock 15, adapted to be operated by the key 16, may be provided within the said hub 13 whereby the unauthorized closing of the ignition circuit and use of the car may be prevented in the usual and well known manner.

The movable portion of the said lock 15 carries an insulating disc 17 provided with a pair of diametrically opposed pins 18, which constitute supports for the movable ignition circuit contact member 19! said member may be stain ed from sheet metal in substantially the s ape of a cross, as clearly shown in Figure at, two of the arms of which engage the said pins or supports 18, while the other two arms, disposed at an angle of substantially 90 degrees to the first mentioned arms, are provided at their extremities with protuberances or bosses 20 and 21, which are adapted to engage the as will presently appear. I seated in the depressions formed by the under sides of the said protuberances 20 and 21, and have their other ends seated in recesses disc 17, as will be clear from Figure 2. o Surrounding the said insulating disc 17 1s a second insulating member '25, taking the form of a ring. and secured in any suitable manner to the hub 13 of the lever member This" Coiled compression, springs 22 are provided in the face of the insulating 14. The said ring member 25 is also pro- 7 vided with two diametrically opposed pins 26 and 27, which constitute supports for the contact member 28 which controls the lighting circuits of the vehicle. This said contact member 28 may also be formed of .of a circle.

stamped sheet metal, and preferably takes the form of an arc of say 320 degrees or 8/9 approximately 120 degrees from each of the said ends. The said member is further pro: vided with a pair of holes or apertures 34 for engaging the pins or supports 26 and 27, whereby it may be slidably mounted on the insulating ring 25, transversely thereof, but at the same time be prevente from rotary movement relative thereto. Suitable coiled compression springs 35 may be interposed between the rear side of each of the said protuberances, and the face of the ring member 25, whereby the said protuberances may be yieldingly maintained in contact with the stationary contact members, as will likewise presently appear.

The rear end of the casing or housing 11 is closed'by means of a fixed insulating disc 36,-which carries the stationary contact members of the switch, arranged in two concentric circles. The inner circle which controls the ignition circuit is provided with two diametricall opposed contacts 40 and 41, which may e secured within the insulating disc 36 by molding the same therein, or in any other suitable manner. The disc 36 is further provided with a pair of diametrically opposed depressions 42 and 43, arranged upon the same inner circle at angles of substantially 90 degrees with respect to the two contact members 40 and 41, as will be clear from Fig. 5.

The stationary contacts for the lighting circuits are arranged around the outer circle, and comprise the contact members 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51, similar in construc- 7 tion to the contact members 40 and 41, above described. The contact members 45, 46, and 47 are located at substantially 40 degrees from each other, while there is a space of approximately 80 degrees between the contact members 47 and 48. The members 48, 49, 50 and 51 are also located approximately 40 degrees from each other, thus leaving a space of approximately 80 degrees between the members 45 and 51, as will be clear from the said Figure 5. The insulating disc 36 1 is provided with two partly spherical depi'e--- ons, 52 and 53, which are located around the said outer circle at approximately the mid point of the two, 80 degree spaces, which depressions are adapted to be engaged by the protuberances 30, 31, 32, and 33, at different times to assist in maintaining the movable contact member in a desired position.

The'contact members, 45 and 46, are elec trically connected together by a suitable resistance coil, 55, while the contact members 46 and 47 are similarly connected together by a resistance coil 56. The contact memarealso interconnected by a metallic connection 58 of low resistance. The stationary contact members 40, 45, 49 and 51 may be provided with suitable screws 59, projecting out of the back of the switch, whereby the wires of the various electrical circuits may be firmly secured thereto. All of the said stationary contact members are further provided upon their faces with suitable depressions adapted to be engaged by the protuberances of the movable contact members, whereby the latter may be held in any desired adjusted positi0n.

The vehicle may be provided with a suitable circuit breaker 60, one terminal of which is connected by a wire 61 to thestationary contact member 40, the other terminal of which is connected by a wire 62 to a suitable high tension coil 63, which may be provided with the ground connection 64. A wire 65 leads from the said coil 63 to the distributor 66 from which the Wires, such as 67, lead to the spark plugs 68 of the motor, which plugs are grounded in the usual mannerfupon the frame, of the machine, as

indicated at 69.

The said vehicle may also be provided with a storage battery 70, one terminal of which is connected by a wire 71 to the contact member 51, and the other terminal of the said battery may be grounded as indicated at 72, in the usual and well known manner. 7

The lighting equipment of the vehicle, as here shown, comprises the headlamps 75, which, as above mentioned, are of the Single bulb type, which lamps may be connected in parallel by the wire 76 to the contact member 45. The other side of the lamps may be grounded in the usual manner, as indicated at 77. The said lighting equipment also includes a tail lam'p 78, one terminal of which is connected as by the wire 79 to the contact member 49, and ,the other terminal of the said tail lamp may *be grounded in the usual manner, as indicated at 80.

lVhen the car is being driven in the daytime, and it is only desired, or necessary, to close the ignition circuit for running the motor, this may be accomplished by inserting the key 16 in the keyhole of the lock 15, and turning the same, which turning movement will carr with it the insulating disc 17, as well as t 1e cross-shaped contact mem- 1 However, when the said member 19 is turned as above indicated, the said protuberances will be moved through an arc of 90 degrees to engage the stationary contact members 40 and 41 respectively, whereupon current from the battery will flow along the wire 71, contact member 51, connection 58, contact member 41, contact member 19, contact member 40, wires 61 and 62, coil 63, wire 65, distributor 66, wire 67, spark plug 68 and grounds 69 and 72, back to the battery.

'hen the car is being used at night, and it is desired to secure the maximum amount of l ght from headlights for road driving, the handle 14 of the lighting switch is moved to a position opposite the on indication upon the face of the switch.

This movement will carry with it the insulating ring member 25 as well as the contact member 28. In Figure 5 the dotted lines will indicate the parts in their otf position in which the contact member establishes no connection to the battery 70. 'hen the contact member is moved as above indicated, however, the protuberance 33 thereof engages terminal 50, thereby connecting the moving contact with the battery 70. Simultaneously, the bosses or protuberances 30, 31 and 32 are brought into engagement with the fixed contact members or terminals 46, 45 and 48 respectively, whereby all such terminals are connected with the batteryv and current from the battery is enabled to flow to the headlights 75 and the tail light 78, from which lights it returns through the ground to the battery.

It will be noted that in this position the current to theheadlamps 75 does not pass through either of the resistance coils 55 and 56. and therefore the said headlamps are lighted to their maximum brilliance.

\Vhen it is desired to reduce the amount of light given by the headlights, handle 14 is moved still further in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, to a position opposite the dim indication oirtlie face of the switch, thereby protuberance '31 of the movable contact member is brought into engagement with stationary contact 46 while protuberances 30, 32 and 33 engage respectively the stationary terminals 47. 49 and 51. Connection is thus made from the battery to the headlights through terminal 46 and resistance wire 55. connection being simultaneously made through the tail lamp to terminal 49.

\Vhen the handle 14 is adjusted in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in F igure 1 opposite the word Park appearing on the face of the switch, rotubera-nce 32 on the moving contact mem r engages terminal 47 while protuberance 30 engages terminal 51 and protuberance 33 engages terminal 48. As a result, the headlights are supplied with current through both of the resistances 56 and 55 while the tail light receives current from terminal 48 through conductor 57 and lead 79.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a switch for independently controlling both the ignition and lighting circuits of an automobile, whereby the latter circuits may be varied at will to change the brilliance of the headlamps, such as 75, for road driving, city driving, or parking purposes. Furthermore, the switch is of relatively simple construction, having a comparatively few number of parts, which parts may be readily replaced in case of injury thereto, and which parts may further be very cheaply manufactured.

Vhile one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction, as well as the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. and therefore it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

I claim:

' 1. In a switch, the combination with a terminal plate, of contact terminals arranged in arcuate series thereon and substantially in a common plane, said terminals being arranged in sets. one of which is spaced from the other and having a like factor of spacing between terminals in each set, the spacing of said one set from said other set being a multiple of such factor; and an arcuate contact member complementary to said series of terminals and movable in either direction from a central-neutral position, said member being provided with spaced contact elements in electrical .connection adapted to engage said terminals and so positioned that in the said neutral position of said member said elements will lie intermediate said sets in locations to be simultaneously engaged with the terminals of different sets and alternatively with the terminals of either set.,

2. A switch comprising a plurality of contact terminals a-rcuately arranged in a set of three anda. set of four, the terminals being spaced equidistantly in both sets and the sets being spaced from each other for a distance equal to twice the distance separating the terminals in the sets. an arcuate contactmember overlying said terminals and adjustable in either direction from a centrally neutral position, and electrically con; nected contact elements carried by said member complementary to the terminals of said sets, two of said elements being normally disposed intermediate said sets upon opposite sides of the axis upon which said member is adjustable,

whereby to be adapted for simultaneous engagement with the terminals 1 of opposite sets and alternatively with the terminals of either set, a third contact element carried by said member being adapted to engage in all positions of said member one of the terminals of said set of tour.

3. In a switch, the combination with a contact member movable in either direction from a predetermined neutral position, of a set of three terminals and two sets each including two terminals, the spacing between terminals being alike in all of said sets and the spacing of said last mentioned sets from said set of three being twice the distance between the terminals in the sets and being in the direction of movement of said member, said member having electrically connected contact elements which in its neutral position are disposed between said set of three and said sets of two respectively, whereby either of said elements may be engaged alternatively with said set of three or with one of said sets of two.

4. In a switch, the combination with a contact member movable in either direction from a predetermined neutral position, of a set of three terminals and two sets each including two terminals, the spacing between terminals being alike in all of said sets and the spacing of said last mentioned sets from said set of three being twice the distance between the terminals in the sets and being in the direction of movement of said member, said member having electrically connected contact elements which in its neutral position are disposed between said set otthree and said sets of two respectively, whereby either of said elements may be engaged alternatively with said set of three or with one of said sets of two, and whereby one of said elements will always be engaged with the terminals of one of said sets of two when the other is engaged with a terminal of said set of three and vice versa.

5. In a switch, the combination with a switch casing having a dielectric rear wall, of means providing nine equidistant stations arranged in a circle about said wall, seven of said stations comprising terminals in a set of three spaced from a set of four,

a contact member in said casing oscillatable in either direction from a central neutral position and provided with electrically connected contact elements complementary to said terminals, two of said elements being positioned to register respectively with the stations intermediate said sets in the neutral position of said member.

6. In a switch, the'combination with a switch casing having a dielectric rear wall, of means providing nine equidistant stations arranged in a circle about said wall, seven of said stations comprising terminals in a set of three spaced from a set of four, a contact member in said casing oscillatable in either direction from a central neutral position and provided with electrically connected contact elements complementary to said terminals, two of said elements being positioned to register respectively with the stations intermediate said sets in the neutral position of said member, and a th rd element being positioned to register with one of the terminals of said set of four in each of the several positions of said member.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a terminal head providing a plurality of arcuately equidistant stations, certain of which comprise terminals and certain of which do not, conductors connecting terminals in two separate pairs at four consecutive stations, a conductor connecting terminals at another pair of stations spaced from the stations aforesaid, and a movable switch contactor rotatable with respect to said terminal head and provided with contact elements complementary to said stations, certain. of said elements being interconnected and adapted to establish a plurality of circuits between said terminals while maintaining certain of said terminals in electrical connection throughout a plurality of successive positions.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a terminal head providing a plurality of arcuately equidistant stations, certain of which comprise terminals and certain of which do not, conductors connecting terminals in two separate pairs at four consecutive stations, a conductor connecting terminals at another pair of stations spaced from the stations aforesaid, and a movable switch contactor rotatable with respect to said terminal head and provided with contact elements complementary to said stations, certainof said elements being interconnected and adapted to establish a plurality of circuits between said terminals while maintaining certain of said terminals in electrical connection throughout a plurality of successive positions, two of said elements being arcuately spaced for a distance equivalent to the spacing between two consecutive stations and two others of said elements being arcuately spaced a distance equivalent to the distance between three consecutive stations.

9. Ina device of the character described, the combination with a rotatable switch member and a terminal head providing a series of stations equidistantly spaced about the axis upon which said member is rotatable, of electrically connected live terminals at two consecutive stations, circuit terminals at others of said stations, and contact elements complementary to said stations and carried by said member to move therewith in either direction from a predetermined neutral position thereof, two of said contact elements being adapted in such position to register with stations adjacent said live terminals upon either side thereof, and a third element carried by said member being electrically connected with said two elements, one or the other of said two elements being adapted to engage one or the other of said live terminals in each of a plurality of consecutive positions of said member upon one side of its predetermined neutral position.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a movable switch member mounted for rotation about a given axis to a plurality of positions in either direction from a lpredetermined neutral position, of a termina head provided with means de- 'ng nine stations substantially equidistant arcuately from each other, electrically connected live terminals occupying a first and second station, electrically connected circuit terminals occupying the third and fourth stations -and insulated from other terminals, circuit terminals at the seventh and eighth stations, and electrically connected contact elements complementary to said stations carried by said member and arranged in the said neutral position thereof to register respectively ,with the third,

fifth, eighth and ninth stations.

switch of the character described a set of stationary terminals, a contact actuator oscillatory with respect to said terminals, a contact element of cruciform shape and provided with divergent arms, limiting means connectin two of opposite arms to said actuator an contact elements carried by the other two arms.

12. In a switch of the character described, the combination with a set of stationary terminals, of a contact actuator oscillatable with respect to said terminals, and a contact carrier supported at four substantially 11. A including 'equally spaced points from said actuator,

there being compression springs at two ,of said points and limiting tension means at the other two of said ints.

13. In a device of tie character described, the combination with a contact actuator mounted for oscillation and provided with diametrically axially contact carrier slidab provided at points circumferentially equidistant therebetween with diametrically opposite compression springs interposed between said carrier and actuator, together with means for limiting the outward sliding movement of said carrier on said pins.

14. In a switch of the character described, the combination with a contact actuator provided with oppositely disposed axially extending and mutually insulated guide members, of an electrically conductive contact element mounted on said guide members for operative rotativeconnection with said actuator and rovided with axially projecting contact e ements, and compression rojecting pins, of a e on said pins and springs interposed between each of said elements and said actuator. v

15. In a switch of the character described, the combination with an oscillatable contact actuator comprising a metallic support and a dielectric member carried thereby, of pins axially projecting from said dielectric disk and insulated thereby, a flexible metallic contact member apertured to receive said pins and confined thereby to a predetermined separation from said actuator, bosses formed integrally upon said contact member to provide contacts, and springs seated in said bosses and against said dielectric member, said springs being under compression to maintain said contact member at its limit of axial movement with respect to said di;

electric member.

16. In a switch of the character described, the combination with a dielectric terminal plate and an arcuate'series of terminals embedded therein, of a contact member oscillatable with respect to said plate and comprising a freely flexible metallic strip provided at intervals with contact bosses complementary to said terminals and apertured to receive limiting and guiding pins, a contact actuator for said contact member comprising a suitably supported dielectric element, pins carried by said element and extending through the apertures in said metallic strip, and compression springs seated between said dielectric element and each of the bosses in said stri whereby said contact bosses are indivi ually supported and are flexibly guided for rotation by said pins.

17 In a switch of the character described, the combination with a switch casing providing interiorly an arcuate series of switch terminals, of a contact actuator journaled for oscillation with respect to said terminals and comprising a metallic end plate, a dielectric element connected therewith and headed guide pins projecting axially from said element; together with a contact device comprising a metallic strip extending about said dielectric element and provided at intervals with axially embossed contact portions complementary to said terminals, said strip being free to flex intermediate said portions, and compression springs seated in said embossed portions and against said dielectric element in a position to press said strip outwardly from said element.

18. In a switch of the character described, the combination with a contact actuator including a dielectric plate having diametrically opposite pins projecting axiallyfrom its face, of. a contact device comprising a cruciform metallic stamping having axially embossed hemispherical contacts on two of its arms and having its other two arms apertured to receive said ins, and compression springs seated interior y in said hemispherical contacts and extending to the face of said dielectric plate, whereby said contacts are individually and yieldably supported from said plate with freedom to tilt about the line of their engagement on said pins and are secured by said pins to said plate for rotation therewith.

19. In a switch of the character described, the combination with a casing provided with a dielectric terminal plate having two series of arcuately arranged terminals embedded therein, of inner'and outer switch devices in said casing concentrically mounted in said casing and each comprising a switch actuator having a dielectric part with pins projecting therefrom, and a stamped metallic contactor apertured to receive said pins and provided at intervals with axially embossed portions individually spring supported from said part.

20. In a device of the character described, the combination with a dielectric support and pins projecting in substantial parallelism therefrom, of a flexible contactelement apertured to receive said pins and to receive guidance therefrom and provided at intervals with outwardly embossed contacts, together with compression springs seated in said contacts and confined between said element and said support.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination with a dielectric support and pins projecting in substantial parallelism therefrom, of a flexible contact element apertured to receive said pins and to receive guidance therefrom and provided at intervals with outwardly embossed contacts, together with compression springs seated in said contacts and confined between said element and said support, the ends of said element being free and adapted for relative flexing movement. I

22. In a device or the character described, the combination with a pair of relatively movable dielectric supports, of terminal members embedded inone of said supports,

a pair of headed pins projecting from the other of said supports, and a contact device complementary to said terminals and provided with apertured portions engaged uponsaid pins, whereby to receive guidance therefrom for reciprocative movement limited by the heads of such pins, said contapt device comprising a strip of metal having contact portions outwardly stamped therein.

and positioned to interact with said terminals, together with compression springs tact, studs engaged, thereby,

interposed between said contact portions and the dielectric support with which such pins are connected.

23. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of relatively movable dielectric supports, of terminal members embedded in one of said supports, a pair of headed pins projecting from the other of said supports, and a contact device complementary to said terminals and pro eonnected,'said contact device being flexible and each of said contact portions being individually spring supported and free for limited yielding movement to and from said terminals independent of the rest of said device.

.24. In a switch, a switch member mounted to turn, a pair of pivot pins fixed thereon, a sheet metal contact member in the form of a split ring loosely pivoted on the pivot pins, contacts formed on the contact member, springs behind the contacts being on the switch member, and a terminal head on which the-contacts bear and having consaid contact member being flexible to permit each contact to independently follow irregularities in the surface of the terminal head.

25. In a switch, a contact ring mounted to turn, pivot pins carried thereby, a split ring contact member of flexible sheet metal loosely pivoted on the pivot pins and having pressed out therefrom rounded projections forming contacts, coiled springs seated in each of the contacts and in the contact ring, and a terminal head against which the contacts bear provided with recessed contact studs engaged by the contacts.

26. 1h 2. switch, a switch member, headed pivot pins thereon, a sheet metal contact- 

